“Never let go of the child inside you” is a mantra that Zappfresh CEO Shruti Gochhwal sticks by, armed with the power of the written word. A self-admitted bibliophile, Gochhwal counts 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry as one of her all-time favourites.

“As we grow older, we lose that subtle madness and passion in favour of numbers and logic. But this book ensured that I dream and make a dash to the skies. It helped me overcome anxieties, apprehensions, and gain confidence,” she told ETPanache.

George Orwell’s 1984 and Ayn Rand’s 'The Fountainhead' come a close second. The latter book, Gochhwal said, taught her to love what she does. “It has reflected in my career choices too as I seek values uncompromisingly.”.

The Winning Formula: 5 Tips That Chetan Bhagat Has Bookmarked

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'Determination' Is Key

25 Sep, 2018

We all want to be achievers in life, but do very little to reach our goals.
Banker-turned-author Chetan Bhagat quit his 11-year-old high-paying job to follow his passion for writing. His determination kept pushing him to never give up, he revealed at the Alibaba Foundation's 'Xin Philanthropy Conference' earlier this month. The 44-year-old writer, sharing a few anecdotes from his childhood, recalled the time when money was in short supply.
"My friends from rich families got nicer school-bags and pencil-boxes, and came to school in luxury cars. Being born in a middle-class family, money was always in short supply. Instead of feeling jealous, I decided to achieve all of it myself," he said.
The '2 States' author also shared a few other tips from his journey:

A Sharp Mind

25 Sep, 2018

"In a jungle, a lion's cub, initially fed by his/her mother, eventually has to learn how to hunt. He/she needs to sharpen the claws and learn how to use them. For humans, claws represent the mind," Bhagat said.
A sharp mind can do wonders in any situation. And for those with no material wealth in life, education is the stepping stone to sharpen one's mental faculties, and rise above one's station, Bhagat shared with the audience.
And while he loves surfing the Internet (he has a sizeable social media following), chatting with friends and watching cute puppy videos, his mantra is very clear: ‘Work first, fun later’.

Good Habits Stay

25 Sep, 2018

If ol' habits die hard, good habits stay. And that's why the bestseller writer feels that it's essential to inculcate good habits that will see you through life. And if you've ever been lazy or lacked discipline to complete a task, fret not: what matters most is getting back on track.
Bhagat said that as a child he would seek refuge in the local, video game parlours for Re 1 instead of studying. But, somewhere, good sense prevailed and he didn't let that become a (bad) habit.
"Good habits are hard to develop and can seem like a pain, but are worth it," he added.

Empower Yourself

25 Sep, 2018

When Bhagat decided to choose a college, he started preparing for the IITs because it would make him employable and independent. In other words, empowered to look after himself.
And his message to the audience was: Equip yourself to one day not be dependent on anyone - this applies to everyone, but especially to girls, and women.
As more women break barriers and assume non-conventional roles, they are setting new limits for themselves, he said. And this is becoming possible because women are feeling empowered to take on challenges and excel in roles that were previously dominated by men.

Be A Positive Person

25 Sep, 2018

Failure, often, pulls one down, and pushes a person to the brink of taking an extreme step. Bhagat revealed that he, too, once wanted to end his life in school because he didn't fare well in Chemistry exams.
"Anxiousness and failure can play mind games with you. But, it is up to you to learn from your experiences and move on," he shared.
In an increasingly cynical world, it's important to hold one's stead, and stay positive.

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